Michael Davis
There are 70-80 species of poisonous mushrooms, but only a few are fatal when ingested. Many of these deadly fungi bear an unfortunate resemblance to edible mushrooms, which makes them especially dangerous. The most well-known deadly mushrooms include the Death Cap, Web Cap, Destroying Angel, Autumn Skullcap, and the Funeral Bell. These mushrooms contain amatoxins, which are toxic compounds that travel through the bloodstream and disrupt cell metabolism, damaging vital organs such as the liver and kidneys. Other symptoms of ingestion include violent abdominal pain, vomiting, bloody diarrhoea, and in some cases, death.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Common Name | Death Cap, Web Cap, Destroying Angel, Deadly Skullcap, Funeral Bell, Autumn Skullcap, Deadly Webcap, Fool's Webcap, Death Angel, Destroying Angel, Jack O'Lantern, Death Cap Look-alikes |
| Scientific Name | Amanita phalloides, Cortinarius rubellus, Amanita verna, Galerina marginata, Cortinarius orellanus, Amanita ocreata, Amanita virosa, Amanita bisporigera, Pholiotina rugosa |
| Amatoxins | Yes |
| Symptoms | Violent abdominal pain, vomiting, bloody diarrhoea, rapid loss of fluids, intense thirst, lowered blood sugar, liver failure, kidney failure, organ failure, severe gastrointestinal distress, delirium, nervousness, hallucinations, mental confusion, jaundice, nerve disorders, digestive disorders, nausea, stomach ache, accelerated heart rate |
| Latency Period | 6-24 hours, 8-10 hours, 2-15 days |
| Appearance | White, olive green, yellowish, brownish, white-brown, orange, yellow, small brown caps, smooth cone-like cap, bioluminescent gills |
| Location | Europe, North America, Northern Hemisphere, Australia, Pacific Northwest, Asia, Catalonia, Pyrenees |
| Mistaken For | Edible straw mushrooms, Caesar's mushrooms, Psilocybe mushrooms, hallucinogenic mushrooms, edible grey knight, fairy ring champignon, true morels, chanterelles |
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What You'll Learn
- Death Caps: the cause of most mushroom-related deaths, they closely resemble edible mushrooms
- Destroying Angels: a group of species that are incredibly toxic and similar to button mushrooms
- Autumn Skullcaps: poisonous mushrooms with the same amatoxins as Death Caps
- Webcaps: two species, the Deadly Webcap and the Fool's Webcap, are very similar to edible varieties
- Jack O'Lanterns: cause severe gastrointestinal distress and can be mistaken for Chanterelles
Death Caps: the cause of most mushroom-related deaths, they closely resemble edible mushrooms
Of the 70 to 80 species of poisonous mushrooms, only a few are fatal when ingested. However, many of these deadly fungi bear an uncanny resemblance to edible mushrooms, making them extremely dangerous. One such mushroom is the Death Cap, responsible for most mushroom-related deaths worldwide.
The Death Cap (Amanita phalloides) is an insidious fungus, found throughout Europe, particularly in oak or beech woodlands. It has a typical Amanita shape, with a ring around its stem and a volva at its base. While some specimens are olive green, others may be yellowish or almost white, making them easily mistaken for edible straw mushrooms or Caesar's mushrooms.
The Death Cap's heat-stable amatoxins are what make it so deadly. Amatoxins are toxic compounds that travel through the bloodstream, disrupting cell metabolism and damaging vital organs, including the liver and heart. As little as half a Death Cap mushroom can be lethal, causing violent abdominal pain, vomiting, and bloody diarrhoea within 6 to 12 hours of consumption. These initial symptoms are often mistaken for food poisoning, but they are swiftly followed by liver failure, kidney failure, and death if left untreated.
The similarity of Death Caps to edible mushrooms, combined with their pleasant taste, has also made them a suspected tool in several famous assassinations, including that of Roman Emperor Claudius in 54 AD. Foragers must be extremely cautious when identifying mushrooms, as even experienced mycologists can struggle to distinguish between species. When in doubt, it is always best to err on the side of caution and leave the mushroom untouched.
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Destroying Angels: a group of species that are incredibly toxic and similar to button mushrooms
The Destroying Angel is a group of similar, closely related species of deadly all-white mushrooms in the genus Amanita. They are Amanita virosa in Europe, and Amanita bisporigera and Amanita ocreata in eastern and western North America, respectively. Amanita verna, also known as the "Fool's Mushroom", is another species found in Europe and North America. Destroying Angels are among the most toxic known mushrooms and are very similar in appearance to edible button mushrooms and meadow mushrooms, which has led to them being mistakenly consumed on numerous occasions. They are characterised by their gills and white stalks, with the cap being pure white, or white at the edge and yellowish, pinkish, or tan at the centre.
Destroying Angels contain amatoxins, which are toxic compounds that travel through the bloodstream and disrupt cell metabolism, consequently damaging many organs, including the liver and heart. Amatoxins are thermostable and can resist drying for years, and they are not inactivated by cooking. Just a small amount can lead to death—for example, the amount contained in as little as half a Destroying Angel cap. The first symptoms of poisoning appear several hours after eating the mushrooms, normally about 8 to 10 hours later, with gastrointestinal symptoms such as intense diarrhoea, continued vomiting, and dehydration. Hepatocellular jaundice and renal failure occur over the next 24 to 48 hours, followed by convulsions and coma by 72 hours.
It is recommended that mushroom hunters know how to recognise both the Death Cap and the Destroying Angel in all their forms before collecting any white-gilled mushrooms for consumption. In addition to Amanita species, other mushroom toxins that can lead to renal failure include orellanine from Cortinarius orellanus and gyromitrin from Gyromitra esculenta (false morel).
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Autumn Skullcaps: poisonous mushrooms with the same amatoxins as Death Caps
Autumn Skullcaps, or Galerina marginata, are poisonous mushrooms that contain the same amatoxins as Death Caps. Amatoxins are toxic compounds that travel through the bloodstream and disrupt cell metabolism, causing organ damage to the liver and heart.
Autumn Skullcaps are gilled, wood-rotting mushrooms found throughout the Northern Hemisphere and parts of Australia. They are often mistaken for hallucinogenic Psilocybe mushrooms, which can be fatal. Ingesting Autumn Skullcaps causes diarrhoea, vomiting, hypothermia, and liver damage, and can result in death if left untreated.
Autumn Skullcaps are brown-capped mushrooms, with a light honey-brown to cinnamon-brown hue that can change as the mushroom matures. The caps are typically slightly slimy to sticky when wet, and tacky when dry. The size of the cap can vary from 0.5 inches when young to 3.25 inches across at maturity. The shape of the cap starts out slightly bell to convex-shaped and expands to broadly convex to flat as the mushroom matures. The gills of Autumn Skullcaps are brown and are attached to the stipe, slightly subdecurrent.
Autumn Skullcaps can be distinguished from similar-looking mushrooms by their lack of faded spots in the centre and the absence of fine dark yellow-brown scales. The gills of Autumn Skullcaps are brown, whereas the gills of similar mushrooms are cream to white. The spores of Autumn Skullcaps are rusty brown, in contrast to the white spores of similar mushrooms. The stipe of Autumn Skullcaps is shorter and thicker than that of similar mushrooms.
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Webcaps: two species, the Deadly Webcap and the Fool's Webcap, are very similar to edible varieties
While only a few of the 70-80 species of poisonous mushrooms are fatal when ingested, many of these deadly fungi bear an unfortunate resemblance to edible varieties. This is the case with two species of Webcaps: the Deadly Webcap and the Fools Webcap. These mushrooms feature a poison known as orellanin, which initially causes flu-like symptoms, but can ultimately lead to kidney failure and death if left untreated.
The Deadly Webcap (Cortinarius rubellus) is native to northern Europe and has a plain, tawny-brown cap and a brownish stem. It is often confused with the much-sought-after Chanterelle, though it does not actually look very similar. However, beginners may still make this mistake, which can have severe consequences. The Cortinarius genus, to which the Deadly Webcap belongs, is notoriously difficult to identify, and many species within this genus are highly toxic. As a result, experts advise against consuming any Cortinarius mushrooms.
The Fool's Webcap (Cortinarius orellanus) is also native to Europe and is one of seven highly toxic species that make up the Orellani, a subgenus within the genus Cortinarius. It has a concave cap of 3 to 6 centimetres in diameter, though some specimens can reach up to 8 centimetres. The cap is orange-brown and covered in fine, fibrous scales that become smooth with age. The Fool's Webcap is generally similar in appearance to the Deadly Webcap, and both can be mistaken for edible varieties, especially when they are young and still have a cobweb-like veil between the cap and the stem.
In 2008, English author Nicholas Evans mistakenly collected and served Fool's Webcap mushrooms to his relatives, resulting in hospitalization and kidney transplants for four of them. This incident highlights the danger of consuming wild mushrooms that resemble edible varieties.
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Jack O'Lanterns: cause severe gastrointestinal distress and can be mistaken for Chanterelles
Jack O'Lantern mushrooms, also known as foxfire mushrooms or Omphalotus species, are often confused with edible chanterelles. They are bright orange or pumpkin-coloured mushrooms that grow in hardwood forests during the summer and fall. Jack O'Lanterns have thin gills and a thick, orange stem with decurrent gills running down it. They are bioluminescent and glow a soft greenish light in the dark.
The primary diagnostic trait for chanterelles is that their fertile surface is composed of "folds" rather than true gills. Chanterelles are often described as having an egg-yellow colour and are not usually funnel-shaped at maturity. On the other hand, Jack O'Lanterns have true gills that end abruptly at the same spot along the stem. They are funnel-shaped at maturity and have a distinct orange stem.
The main problematic compound in Jack O'Lantern mushrooms is muscarine, which can cause profuse sweating, severe gastrointestinal distress, upset stomach, intense vomiting, and diarrhoea. The symptoms of Jack O'Lantern poisoning are similar to food poisoning, and they can cause severe discomfort for up to eight or nine hours.
To avoid mistaking Jack O'Lanterns for chanterelles, it is important to look for the distinguishing features mentioned above. Experienced mushroom hunters can easily separate the two, but beginners should be cautious and well-informed before consuming any foraged mushrooms.
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Frequently asked questions
Some of the most deadly mushrooms include the Death Cap (Amanita phalloides), the Destroying Angel (Amanita verna), the Deadly Webcap (Cortinarius rubellus), the Fool's Webcap (Cortinarius orellanus), and the Autumn Skullcap (Galerina marginata).
The Death Cap is an olive green mushroom, though some may be yellowish or almost white. It has a typical Amanita shape with a ring around the stem and a volva surrounding the base. It is often mistaken for edible mushrooms like straw mushrooms and Caesar's mushrooms.
Ingesting a Death Cap mushroom can lead to violent abdominal pain, vomiting, bloody diarrhoea, dehydration, liver failure, kidney failure, and eventually death. Symptoms typically appear within 6 to 12 hours of consumption.
Yes, the Destroying Angel mushrooms are white-capped Amanitas that closely resemble the Death Cap. They are also highly toxic and can be mistaken for edible button mushrooms or meadow mushrooms.
The Deadly Webcap (Cortinarius rubellus) and the Fool's Webcap (Cortinarius orellanus) have similar appearances to each other and to some edible mushroom varieties. They are often found in northern Europe and can cause fatal poisoning.
